Songs of the Week: August 31 - September 06, 2026

September 08, 2026 by Christine McAvoy in Song Of The Day, Songs Of The Week

“These Days” by Matthew Barber

Matthew Barber is back!
Appropriately titled Find The Time, his new album will be out on November 20th and we have the first single “These Days”.
The music is inspired by becoming a stay at home dad and the questions that come from becoming a parent. “These Days” specifically reflects on putting “touring on the shelf” and is a “snapshot of the day-to-day flow of work and family, acknowledging the long and winding journey from initial lustful attraction to diapers and daycare. It’s about partnership and a deep appreciation for good fortune against all odds.”

He’s doing a few shows close to home this month, but hopefully when the album is released we’ll get an appearance on this side of the country (after all, his sister is here!)

Christine

“time loop at hot slit” by PISS

Vancouver’s PISS has announced their long-awaited debut album, as well as dropped the brand new single, “time loop at hot slit”.

The song is a loud, frenetic race as the lyrics dive into ‘girlhood in a culture of sexualization’, and comes with a video directed by singer Taylor Zantingh and Vivyen Sagsen.
Zantingh shares, “Some of the people with whom I shared the earliest version of “time loop at hot slit” take the stage to sing it themselves. Our local scene has been singing this song with us for two years!! It's very exciting to finally share it with the world, but no matter where it ends up, it will always belong to the femmes, queers, and weirdos in the Vancouver underground community <3”.

The new album is called you made me / skin on linen and is out October 30 on Paper Bag Records!

Kirk

“Opal” by Old Man Canyon

Vancouver’s Old Man Canyon has announced a new album Opal, which will drop on January 22nd, and released the dreamy title track as well.

Old Man Canyon (musician Jett Pace’s moniker) says the record addresses the societal chaos around us mixed with personal growth. He states:
"In a world where there’s so much chaos, how do we fit in as human beings? Everything we've been taught as a society is being challenged in some way. An opal is a stone that contains all colors—whatever perspective you're looking at it from, it will always be different. It’s a beautiful metaphor for us as human beings and the multitudes within us."

The track “Opal” is about this self-discovery and I particularly like the line “You said there's magic in trusting yourself, even if all I thought I ever wanted gets turned right upside down again”.

Can’t wait for more!

Christine

Songs of the Week: August 24 - 30, 2026

September 01, 2026 by Christine McAvoy in Song Of The Day, Songs Of The Week

“Laughter (Bouquet Version)” by Basia Bulat

Last Friday, Basia Bulat released a companion EP to her latest album Basia's Palace, called Bouquet.

The EP is a collection of acoustic versions of songs from the acclaimed album, stripping them down to just vocals, guitar, and autoharp to give each song a new, emotional rendition. “Laughter” even features an entirely new string arrangement by Kieran Poile.

Basia elaborates, “I loved being able to bring this song, originally written on midi while wearing headphones in the earliest morning hours, all the way across the spectrum of sound into something completely acoustic and to my folk beginnings. The lyrics describe running through the mud with my very young daughters, “looking for the first blooms of the spring”. It is not only what I was literally doing at the time or writing the song, but also the spirit I try to keep with me all the time: looking for the first beautiful moments of life and light peeking out through the dark, and celebrating that they made it through.”

You can see a live performance of “Laughter (Bouquet Version)” below, or check out the entire EP, which is absolutely gorgeous!

Kirk

“38 Years Old” (Tragically Hip Cover) by Cabin Fever

Just got back from camping last week, and one of my music staples while I’m out in the woods is my Tragically Hip playlist.
August 20th was the 10 year anniversary of their last show (how it’s been 10 years already, I don’t know) and to mark that Ontario’s Cabin Fever covered their track “38 Years Old”.
It’s a dark and haunting version, which fits the subject matter of the song.

Singer/guitarist Kyle Faulkner says:
“Onstage, we always treasure our rare opportunities to cover and pay tribute to some of our favourite songs and artists, especially when we’re able to put our own spin on the style. ‘38 Years Old’ is such a staple of Canadiana, and an almost sacred object from one of this country’s most revered bands, that changing a single note almost felt blasphemous; however, something about the lyrics, the story they were telling, just seemed to haunt my thoughts whenever I’d listen to it or play it. There’s a tragic tale in those words, and slowing down and scaling back the musical feel of the instruments really seems to bring the heartache and shame to the forefront. We feel honoured to humbly submit our take on one of Canada’s greatest works of art.”

Christine

“East of Anything” by True Mountain Laurel

Speaking of new albums out Friday, the duo of Haley Blais and Sam Lynch just released the first album under True Mountain Laurel, and celebrated by releasing a new video for “East of Anything”.

The song is a fantastic example of their two voices blending over gentle guitar & violin, and the duo explains it was “our first whack at co-writing together. This song sat in such a magical middle place between each of our songwriting and musical tendencies. We silently danced around the subject of who would ‘get the song’ for a little while before we realized it belonged exactly where it was; that was the inception of True Mountain Laurel.”

You can pick up the album, Angel So Bad, out now, and catch them across the country this fall, including a show here in Vancouver at St. James Square on November 12th!

Kirk

“Bluebells” by Thunder Queens

Thunder Queens are giving us another peek at their upcoming album with their latest single, “Bluebells”.

The new track is as catchy and upbeat as you would expect from the trio, with the band sharing, “Recording 'Bluebells' was a very fun and different kind of creative process compared to all the other songs, since we wrote it almost completely the night before we headed into the studio to record it with Dave Schiffman. There was little time to overthink the lyrics, and we were excited to get it recorded.”

Have a listen and make sure to grab their sophomore album, Deep Below, when it’s out on September 24 via Victory Pool Records.

Kirk

“Ouroboros” by Self-Cut Bangs

Calgary five-piece Self-Cut Bangs recently announced their latest album, Growth Spurts, and dropped a video for the first single, “Ouroboros”, a chaotic rocker.

The new album came together with all five members of the band contributing, and Cayley Petsche explains “This first single, ‘Ouroboros,’ is, appropriately, the first song our new line-up wrote together. It started coming together within the first minutes of our very first rehearsal; a testament to the instant chemistry the band holds. It’s a song that touches on the complex feelings tied to the beauty of creating life and the death and re-birth of the self in doing so. The chorus mantra ‘the all is one’ paired with the snake imagery symbolizes the unity of all matter and eternal cyclic transformation.”

Check out the video, directed by band member Shawn Petsche, below and mark October 16th for the release of Growth Spurts!

Kirk

Songs of the Week: August 17 - 23, 2026

August 25, 2026 by Christine McAvoy in Song Of The Day, Songs Of The Week

“Fully Slow” by So Faint

Oh, I was instantly into the new song from So Faint, a brand new project from Lyn Heinemann and Hannah Georgas!

“Fully Slow” is the extremely catchy first single released from the pair, which comes from their self-titled debut, releasing Georgas’ new label Beetle Bomb Records.

Hannah explains, “I’ve been thinking about putting out music on my own label for awhile. I’ve watched the way music gets released change so much since I first started out, and now so much of that process falls on the artist. For me, it felt exciting to build a team I really know and trust and create something that feels personal. At the end of the day, I just want to put this music out into the world. I’ve worked really hard on it with Lyn, and I’m excited for people to hear it.”

And Heineman adds the song “explores the quiet ache of wanting someone who will never want you back—while still building entire fantasies around the possibility. The song is about “wanting someone who you know deep down will never want you back, but still fantasizing that they do. I’ve always been very prone to pointless intense crushes that remain completely internalized. I can construct a full storyline about what might happen and never do a single thing about it.”

Check out the video below, and look out for the self-titled album when it’s out on October 16.

Kirk

“Ultestakon”(Kyoto Session) by Jeremy Dutcher

I needed to share this one if only to be able to say: Jeremy Dutcher is going on tour with Yo-Yo Ma - how cool is that?

The two worked together in 2018 on a track titled "Honor Song" on Yo-Yo Ma's album Notes for the Future, and now they’ll be performing a series of concerts in Japan and Taiwan.

Dutcher recorded a reimagining of his song “Ultestakon” as part of the Kyoto Sessions, which they filmed a year ago in Japan.
Says Dutcher: “This is a traditional lullaby of the wəlastəkwiyik (people of the peaceful wave). In our traditional song forms, sometimes we sing words that cannot directly be translated into wəlastəkwey latowewakən (our language), this is one such song. We instead say, s/he is singing in ‘sky language’ that which can be understood by the ancestors.”

Christine

“In Your Eyes” (Peter Gabriel cover) by Dwayne Gretzky

For 16 years, Dwayne Gretzky has been the premier cover / party band in Canada, and now they’re finally bringing their popular cover series and energetic live show to record players everywhere with Dwayne’s World Vol. 1

The new album collects 20 covers from their popular YouTube series, including classic songs from Paul Simon, Queen, A-Ha, Fleetwood Mac, Devo, and loads more!

Check out their stunning version of “In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel below, and keep your ears out for more when the album drops on September 15th (with a vinyl released a couple days later, on the 18th)

Kirk

“Antiques Roadshow” by Gizmo

You’ll never guess where Charlottetown rockers Gizmo got the inspiration from their new single, “Antiques Roadshow”.

Songwriter Julien Kitson explains, “The opening lyric to ‘Antiques Roadshow’ was, of course, inspired by the famous television show that I remember watching as a child on PBS at 1 AM. Written in 2022 but brought to life a year later, the rest of Gizmo and I decided to rehash this song and collectively finish it as a group during a band practice before a festival appearance of ours. Upon performing it at this festival, we felt it stick, and it has now become a metaphor anthem for hitting the road for many of our friends.”

The high energy song is off their upcoming album All Your Worships, which is out on October 2nd.

Kirk

Songs of the Week: August 10 - 16, 2026

August 18, 2026 by Christine McAvoy in Song Of The Day, Songs Of The Week

“Rainbow” by Brandon Wolfe Scott

Last week, Brandon Wolfe Scott (of Yukon Blonde) announced his latest solo album, and dropped a brand new cover.

“Rainbow” is originally by the Scottish band Marmalade, and for his version, Brandon teamed up with MOONRIIVR (who also produce the album) and Lauren Dillen for a darker take on the song.

On why he picked it, Scott shared, "I'm always on the hunt for slightly obscure B-sides from the ’60s and ’70s, paying close attention to song structure, chord changes, and recording aesthetics. Every so often, I like to record covers as a creative exercise. It keeps me recording, experimenting, and helps pull me out of songwriting ruts." He continues, "I was immediately drawn to the melody and lyrics. I went home, quickly worked out the arrangement, and recorded my own version. It struck me as something that could be really special to bring to the MOONRIIVR lads."

Check out a live version of the song below, and mark October 1st for the release of the new EP Pressed Flowers.

Kirk

“The Death Of Indie” by Art d’Decco

Announcing a new album with it’s seven minute opening (banger of a) track and amazing music video is definitely the way to do it.
Scheele’s Green is set to be released on October 23, 2026 and as the press release states is “a fiery reckoning with the world around us and the crucible in which Art d’Ecco dies to be reborn again”.

“The Death Of Indie” is an epic must-watch journey: “The idea that these four horseman of the apocalypse (Zuck, Bozo, Dipshit, and Altright) are being played by women and are dancing like Bob Fosse and prancing around with 100 dollar bills flying around felt like a fun way to satirize them and poke fun at their hyper masculinity brosphere aesthetic” says Art.
It all comes to a head right when the horns kicking in around the 6-minute mark and Art’s character does some very cathartic smashing.

I can’t wait to dive deeper into this album as we get more tracks released!

Christine

“the evergreen, the birch” by Ada Lea

Hot off her 16-track epic, when i paint my masterpiece. released last year, Ada Lea has dropped a companion EP with the end is a wave.

Alexandra Levy explains “For this EP, I wanted to combine songs that were cut from when i paint my masterpiece, as well as the ones I’d recorded a million years ago when I was just a child. It was to test their fragility. How would they behave next to the other? The old and the new? The brave and the haunted? The impression and the finely sculpted. I also decided to mix three of the songs myself (was it a mistake? you tell me…I says). I’ve been thinking of the kind of artist I’d like to be, and how I’d like to see all artists treated. I am most at home when I am creating and performing, it is what I was born to do. These worlds are opposites. 12th house and 6th, 4th & 10th, the story goes on. I can imagine a future where artists are supported by UBI and they do what they want. A kind of welfare for the serious artists that are not afraid to play. It serves the betterment of society to support artists this way. I know there are others out there, like me, that feel little purpose in their life when they’re not working toward making things. But it’s also near to impossible to make things when you are fighting to protect your energy at every turn, feeling burnt out.”

Along with the album, Ada Lea released a collaboration with Meggo, “the evergreen, the birch”, a gorgeous song that evokes nature, and not just because the video features her singing on a stroll through the woods.

Have a watch below, and pick up the end is a wave now!

Kirk

“Give Me Dirt” by Cancer Bats

Ontario’s Cancer Bats have released their 8th album titled Give Me Dirt and with it a video for the title track!

I’ve been listening to these guys since I was a teenager, they formed in a neighbouring town in Ontario, and thus I’ve watched their evolution for a really long time.

Give Me Dirt is the perfect title to sum up the album (and the track) with it’s themes of the natural world and our realities that we face with the changes it’s experiencing. Perfect things to scream into a microphone about.

Christine

Songs of the Week: August 03 - 09, 2026

August 11, 2026 by Christine McAvoy in Song Of The Day, Songs Of The Week

“Whisky Things” by The Washboard Union

Last week I was out in the woods camping and had my country playlist on repeat, including “Maybe It’s The Moonshine” by The Washboard Union. And low and behold when I hit the road back to civilization, I saw they released a new track “Whisky Things”.

Band member Chris Duncombe says “Whisky Wings is a three-part harmony bar room rallying cry to step off the merry-go-round for a minute, raise a glass, and lift your spirits high”.

It’s officially been added to my camping playlist!

Christine

“Hard Time” by David Vertesi

David Vertesi is back with a new song about a tough subject. The Vancouver singer has just released his latest song “Hard Time” which is influenced by losing a friend to the algorithm.

In an instagram post, Vertesi explained, “Does this sound familiar? You log on to social media and see a multi paragraph diatribe from a close friend or maybe a family member. But wait, we just hung out yesterday and they didn’t mention any of this? They seemed completely normal, so which one is the real them? What do I say when I see them again?

Hard Time is inspired by the sadness, frustration, and dread I feel from the pressure to cut people out of my life over things they are posting on the internet. I mean, it’s hard to believe, but ending friendships wasn’t always so commonplace. In 2026 it’s become a depressing norm of everyday life thanks largely to unethical and predatory social media companies, designed for engagement via enragement.

The question becomes, am I really going to block someone who has meant so much to me (and who likely never even talks about this stuff in person)? Then again how can I stay friends with someone who has gone so far off the rails? Maybe even parroting hateful rhetoric. Where is the line? I don’t know the answer, all I know is it feels awful, it’s exhausting, and I’m tired of it. - so I wrote a song… and it’s kind of a bop? lol.”

Have a listen to “Hard Time” while lamenting anyone you may have ‘lost’ to this.

Kirk

“The Director” by KINLEY

Last week, KINLEY released a dancey pop jam with her new song, “The Director”.

The single comes ahead of her upcoming EP, and Kinley says “I met a stranger during a film festival and thought he was a director. Obviously, I was already in love and imagining my big break. The song lives in that little flash of possibility, when one encounter becomes an entire movie in your head.”

Take a dance break by listening to the song below, and mark August 21st for the release of the new EP, Reflecting Light.

Kirk

“The Ride” by The Darcys

Speaking of me being on the road, The Darcys released their new track “The Ride” last week.
I’m glad I read their story of their van being hit by a tractor-trailer after I got back home (it was a long time ago, and they’re alright).

The song has the line “You bought the ticket, so take the ride” and in an instagram post the band says they’ve used that saying over the years about making a choice and owning the journey.

They’re set to head out on their first headlining tour (“The Goodtime Tour”) in many years, including a stop in Vancouver at the Biltmore Cabaret on November 21st - get your tickets here!

Christine

“Kathleen” by Wayfinding

Wayfinding is the trio of Cassia Hardy (of Wares), Ryan Beattie (from Frog Eyes, Himalayan Bear), and Marek Tyler (of ASKO, nêhiyawak), and last week they announced their upcoming album along with a brand new single.

“Kathleen” builds to a soaring chorus, with Beattie explaining, “I wanted an anthemic chorus to contrast the bitterness left by these toxic scenes. Cassia came up with a beautiful kaleidoscopic bridge section. It’s a gauntly tune about the bad times - it’s about salad days gone to rot and the wondering, from time to time, who’s still living there.”
Tyler adds, “For me, Kathleen is a song, played loud in your car with the windows rolled down when you're leaving town.”

I couldn’t agree more, so hit the road and crank it while you wait for the new album, A Nest of Wrens, which is out October 9th!

Kirk

Songs of the Week: July 27 - August 02, 2026

August 04, 2026 by Christine McAvoy in Song Of The Day, Songs Of The Week

“Winning Is For Losers” by Francis Baptiste

East Vancouver Indigenous singer-songwriter Francis Baptiste is back with a brand new song, teasing an upcoming album.

“Winning Is For Losers” is a grungy anthem pulled from Baptiste’s experiences as “a washed-up, divorced, recovering alcoholic and drug addict trying to balance being a single father and being a middle-aged musician, living under the poverty line in East Vancouver.”

The song is the first single off his upcoming album, Talk To Me So I Don’t Forget, half of which is written in Nsyilxcen, an endangered language spoken by the Syilx people. There are fewer than a hundred fluent speakers, as a direct result of the Residential Schools system, and writing music in Nsyilxcen is Francis’ way of learning the language and passing it onto his son.

Check out the live performance video below, and keep an ear out for the new album out early next year.

Kirk

“Smooth Sailing” by Combine The Victorious

This song is perfect timing for me as I’m heading out camping today and needed some new music!
Vancouver’s Combine The Victorious has put out a new track with major summer vibes.
Singer Isabelle Dunlop says “the sentiment of the song came from me going on a trip to reunite with old friends. I was only gone for a week and had an amazing time but I was super excited to see the airport doors slide open and [fellow band member] Mark was there on the other side. We kind of elevate when we see each other, not bad for 26 years of marriage August 11th!”

The band will be performing an early show at Guilt and Co on August 8th if you want to check them out live!

Christine

  
    <a href="https://combinethevictorious.bandcamp.com/track/smooth-sailing">Smooth Sailing by Combine the Victorious</a>

“I'm Falling Up” by CG Tears

CG Tears is the new collaboration between Clinton St. John (of The Cape May, Pale Air Singers, Florida BC), producer & multi-instrumentalist Morgan Greenwood (of Baths), and Chad VanGaalen (of… Chad VanGaalen).

Last month, they announced their debut, self-titled album and now they’re teasing a second single, “I’m Falling Up”. The glitchy synth drives the frenetic song, with the band cryptically stating, “there is a person here, and they are falling. It’s uncertain if they are falling up or down, but they are definitely changing form as this is happening.”

You can grab their self-titled debut on September 11th, and watch the video for “I'm Falling Up” below!

Kirk

“Expensive Taste” by MEEK

Back in February I shared MEEK’s song “Fabulous” and said she’s one to look out for in 2026. Well, I should have taken a screenshot of the view count on the video because it’s at 2.3 million right now and 12.7 million listens on Spotify!

So I was super pleased to see another single land in my inbox, this one titled “Expensive Taste”.
As the song implies, it’s about the world of seeing opulence but not being able to afford it - “I’m just a broke ass bitch with expensive taste”.

MEEK is about to head on a US tour with Kesha and Chromeo. Major jealousy vibes of anyone attending those shows and hopefully she comes to Canada in the near future.

Christine

Songs of the Week: July 20 - 26, 2026

July 28, 2026 by Christine McAvoy in Song Of The Day, Songs Of The Week

“Deep Below” by Thunder Queens

Toronto teen trio Thunder Queens recently announced a brand new album, and dropped the rockin’ title track, “Deep Below”.

The new single starts as a slow burn before finishing off with a burst of energy, as singer/guitarist Violet Bruneel says it’s “a musically challenging piece for all of us, but it’s our true epic ballad.”
Clara Magnan (bass) says the song “was written to show others that they’re not alone, and that even though we all have our own unique paths, we're connected through vulnerability.” With drummer/vocalist Lola Good adding “The song is about realizing something is changing, and how letting go can feel impossible until you finally understand that holding on is hurting you too”.

You can grab Deep Below when it’s out on September 24 via Victory Pool Records, and watch the video for the title track below!

Kirk

“everstranger” by Jasper Sloan Yip

Jasper Sloan Yip is officially back with new music, releasing “everstranger” this past week!

Since Jasper’s last album release in 2021, he’s started a family, and it seems that this has influenced the new work. Check out what he has to say about the new song:
“Do you remember being a kid, carried in from the car after a long evening drive, half awake or feigning sleep? The car stops, parents whisper, doors open, your seatbelt is quietly unfastened, etc etc. I do, but it’s the kind of memory that isn’t actually a memory anymore. It happened so many times, each instance collapses into a single thing you just feel rather than remember.

I’ve probably carried my sleeping son in from the car at least once a week for the past two hundred and fifty six weeks, and it is, every time, the best part of my day. No matter what difficulty or frustration I may be carrying from the preceding hours, that brief walk from the car to his bed always makes it right. ‘everstranger’ is about losing the plot and finding your way back. We often suffer alone, needlessly, caught up in a things that don’t or won’t matter. I certainly do, but I’m really working on it (grinning-face-with-sweat emoji). ‘everstranger’ shares that experience, and it helps me remember what’s actually important when I need it most.”

The press release says to “keep your ear to the ground for more new music” and I can’t wait to do just that.

Christine

“Executionary” by Shiv and the Carvers

Shiv and the Carvers have returned with the brand new single, “Executionary”.

The anthemic song sees the band facing an anxiety spiral, as Shiv shares, “The terror and shame that I feel over imagining the worst case scenario is the real punishment. Worrying only causes more suffering before the actual outcome occurs. I know this, but I love to punish myself before the world does.”

No word on a new album from the Toronto group, but you can check out the lo-fi, ‘90s DIY vibes of the video for “Executionary” below!

Kirk

“East of The Sun” by The Deep Dark Woods

Ontario by way of Saskatchewan band The Deep Dark Woods have released a cover just ahead of their Canadian/European tour (no Vancouver date on this one).

The song “East of The Sun” is by English folk artist Roy Harper and is, as TDDW lead singer Ryan Boldt calls him, “one of the most underrated songwriters of the 1960s”.
“He straddled the line between traditional folk and psychedelic rock. Much like Nick Drake, his music was difficult to categorize, which I believe negatively affected his career. It takes the music industry sometimes decades to catch up to what true artists are creating. His songs will be sung through the centuries ahead.”

The cover seems like it could fit seamlessly in to the band’s catalogue, including their latest album The Circle Remains.

Christine

Songs of the Week: July 13 - 19, 2026

July 20, 2026 by Christine McAvoy in Song Of The Day, Songs Of The Week

“backporch” by CJ Wiley

Last week, CJ Wiley announced a brand new EP, and dropped the first single with “backporch”.

The new song is a slow-burn that Wiley explains is “about asking your partner to forget the world and just slow things down for a moment with you.”

They also go into detail on the EP itself, saying it “reflects the lifecycle of a relationship and the idea that no matter how many times love kicks our ass, we always go back for more. Like some beautiful masochistic ritual we can't get enough of. Every love is different. Hits different, hurts different. I'm a very romantic writer and honestly useless without a muse. I wanted to capture what that feels like.”

You can pick up the new EP, Just Can’t Quit, on September 9th, and listen to “backporch” below!

Kirk

“Holy Hell” by True Mountain Laurel

As we inch closer to the release of the debut album from True Mountain Laurel, we’re getting another tease with the latest single “Holy Hell”, a bluegrass-infused jam floated by their incredible voices intertwining.

The pairing of Haley Blais and Sam Lynch explain that the song “had to go through a bit of a metamorphosis in its initial stages before we realized we needed to stop lying to ourselves and just make a bluegrass song. At the heart of TML there’s a love of country music, and this is our homage to a genre we’ve admired for so long.”

You can listen to the song at the link above or right here, and check out the gorgeous sunset video of the duo performing the song! You can also catch them on tour across the country in the coming months, including a stop a the Pleasant Day Festival here in Vancouver on August 8th.

Kirk

“Lazarus” David Bowie Cover by Kandle

I love a good cover and I love me some David Bowie - so when this cover of “Lazarus” swept through my inbox, I got very excited.

Kandle says: “It's an incredible honour to finally share our version of Lazarus by David Bowie.
His final album has always been my favourite, which says a lot considering everything he ever gave the world was gold.
We played this song every night throughout last year's tours, and somehow it never meant the same thing twice. It grew with us, it always felt powerful and deep, thrilling and haunting.”

What a nice summer treat!

Christine

“The Moon The Bed” (Instrumental) by LARKK

I already loved the elegance of the album Danielle McTaggart (Dear Rouge) put together for her side project LARKK and now we are going to get a full instrumental version of Cinders.

Of the release, Danielle shares: “Larkk began as a collaboration between myself and the piano, composing instrumental pieces that eventually grew to include my voice. I am thrilled to share these songs in their original, instrumental form—returning them to exactly where they started.”

I fully plan to put this on one rainy evening and fall asleep to the beautiful tracks.

Christine

“If It’s On” by Clever Hopes

Dartmouth songwriter Andrew Shaver leads an interesting life; by night he’s releasing music as Clever Hopes, but by day he’s known as Drewfus, a therapeutic clown at the IWK Health Centre in Halifax, NS where he supports children and their families “through some of life's most difficult moments.”

This work has influenced his new album Even Gooder Than Tomorrow, which he recently announced with the lead single “If It's On”.

The song featured a stacked backing band that includes Daniel Ledwell and Afie Jurvanen, and Shaver says “This song started with the idea of spotting an old love in the background of somebody else’s photo, already living a life I no longer belonged to. It follows the questions that come rushing back as the lights start to fade, and wonders how long we let the past keep casting a shadow over the present.”

Even Gooder Than Tomorrow is out on September 18th, and you can check out “If It’s On” now!

Kirk

“What A Time” by Strange Plants

The new song from Strange Plants may be the catchiest song about the state of the world that I’ve heard in a while.

“What A Time” is a catchy, upbeat track that belies the darker, cutting social commentary in the lyrics, with songwriter Matt Brannon explaining the irony of the title, saying “It’s slightly sarcastic. The verses aren’t describing a world that’s super great right now, so the chorus becomes this tongue-in-cheek ‘what a time to be alive.’”

Check out the video below!

Kirk